Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding Governor’s State of the State Address (Property Taxes, Broadband, and Water)
LINCOLN, NEB. – “Property tax relief remains the highest priority for Nebraskans and the members of Nebraska Farm Bureau. We greatly appreciate Governor Ricketts’ continued efforts to address this important issue. We strongly support LB 723, a bill introduced by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, which would address the governor’s desire to put a floor under the $548 million dollars in annual property tax relief provided by LB 1107. But even with that floor, we would still be out of balance by $700 to $900 million dollars for all Nebraska property taxpayers. Good tax policy in Nebraska means balancing the three-legged stool. We look forward to working with the governor and members of the Legislature to build upon the historic amount of property tax relief provided during the last session.”
“Governor Ricketts also laid out bold plans to address Nebraska’s water security, infrastructure, and quality through buildout of canals, reservoirs, and improvement projects. We look forward to working with the governor and the Legislature as they ensure Nebraska has quality water to support our way of life for decades and centuries to come.”
“Finally, Governor Ricketts pointed out that Nebraska has a budget surplus, not only in the General Fund, but through federal COVID aid, and federal infrastructure package dollars. This is a great opportunity to address needed issues such as rural broadband, road and bridge projects, and economic development opportunities that would positively impact rural Nebraska and the agricultural industry.”
“We appreciate Governor Ricketts’ efforts to include rural economic development in his suggested use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars specifically in the areas of workforce development, housing, business development, and expanding our opportunities in the meat processing sector. We agree that the governor has kept his promise to ‘Grow Nebraska,’ and we look forward to working with him and the Legislature on these bold proposals to ensure Nebraska agriculture continues to lead the way towards our state’s success.”
The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org.
